Fun with Bernoulli
While we know air exists around us all the time, we usually do not notice the air pressure. During this activity, students use Bernoulli's principle to manipulate air pressure so its influence can be seen on the objects around us.
Understanding air pressure is needed to successfully launch rockets.Copyright Pixabay http://pixabay.com/en/rocket-launch-rocket-take-off-nasa-67649/
Because they understand Bernoulli's principle, engineers manipulate air pressure in their designs to control and stabilize everything from rockets to helicopters to blimps. When designing airplane wings, engineers shape them so that they create lift. Even cars and trains are designed to take advantage of this principle, helping moving vehicles to stay on the ground at high speeds.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain that air pressure decreases as the speed of air increases.
- Explain that air pressure acts in all directions (not just down).
- Explain that engineers use their understanding of pressure differences to make airplanes fly.